U N I T E D S TAT E S P O S TA L S E RV I C E вЂў V O L U M E 3 N U M B E R 2 вЂў M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 0 9 NEW MAILING SERVICES PRICES PAGE 2 Also in this issue: OneCode ACS HIGHLIGHTS OF CHANGES DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MAILING SERVICES FYI Up-to-date pricing information is just a click away at usps.com/prices. O n Feb. 10, the Governors of the Postal Service announced new prices and product features effective Monday, MayВ 11. New mailing standards to support the price changes are being implemented as well. Complete price and fee information, including the new mailing services prices and current shipping services prices, can be found in Notice 123, Price List, available at usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm. Customers can view, download and print the price tables. Federal Register notices to support the MayВ 11 price change are available on Postal Explorer at pe.usps.com. price changes include: n First-Class Mail n First-Class Mail International n Periodicals n Standard Mail n Package Services Mail - Bound Printed Matter - Library Mail - Media Mail - Parcel Post n Extra Services and Fees n Parcel Select - BMC and OBMC Presort - Barcoded Nonpresort n International Priority Airmail Service (IPA) n International Surface Air Lift Service (ISAL) First-Class Mail The increase for First-Class Mail (including FirstClass Mail International) is 3.8 percent on average. The additional-ounce price for all retail letters, flats and packages remains 17 cents, and for automation and presort letters the additional-ounce price remains 12.5 cents. We also maintain the 2.2-cent difference between 5- and 3-digit automation letter prices. The surcharge for retail and presort nonmachinable letters remains 20 cents, and applies to all nonmachinable letters weighing up to 3.5 ounces. The surcharge for nonmachinable and nonbarcoded parcels not prepared in 5-digit/scheme sacks remains 5 cents. An Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) incentive of 0.3 cents will be available Nov. 29 for automation letters and flats prepared and mailed using the full-service option. We align the standards for commercial machinable and automation letters so that machinable letters have the same physical characteristics as automation letters, with the exception of a qualifying barcode. All sortation levels for automation letters are optional with customers paying for the level of sortation they choose. 2 MAR/APR 2009 Required sortation for automation letters would begin at the mixed automated area distribution center (AADC) level. Five-digit/scheme, 3-digit/scheme and AADC sortation levels will be optional, except when claiming the corresponding prices. Automation flats must bear a delivery point POSTNET barcode or IMb encoded with the correct delivery point routing code. There are no changes to the preparation of automation flats вЂ” and the 5-digit/ scheme level remains optional, except when claiming the 5-digit price. First-Class Mail retail prices can be found on pageВ 1, and commercial prices can be found on pageВ 10, of the Price List. First-Class Mail International The number of country price groups for letters, flats and packages remains at nine, and the price groups for postcards expand from two to three. There will be separate prices for postcards and 1-ounce letters to Canada (75 cents) and Mexico (79 cents). The price for all other countries will be 98 cents. First-Class Mail International prices can be found on page 28 of the Price List. Periodicals The increase for Periodicals mail is 4 percent on average. Nearly all Periodicals will experience price increases, and there are no structural changes to prices. Publications authorized as classroom and nonprofit, and those publications meeting the limited circulation criteria, will still be eligible for a 5В percent discount off the total Outside-County postage, excluding postage for advertising pounds, Ride-Along pieces and Repositionable Notes (RPNs). The price for RPNs with In-County publications is reduced to 0.5 cent each. For Outside-County publications, RPNs INSIDE THIS ISSUE 6 DOMESTIC QUICK REFERENCE 7 INternational quick reference 8frequently asked questions 11onecode acs This newsletter is published bimonthly at no charge for mailing professionals. It contains information on current Postal Service programs and services, rates and classification, mailing success stories and industry news. To request MailPro, or to change your mailing address (include current mailing label), mail, fax or e-mail your name, title, company name, delivery address and daytime phone number to: MailPro NATIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER US POSTAL SERVICE 6060 PRIMACY PKWY STE 101 MEMPHIS TN 38188-0001 Fax: 901-681-4521 E-mail: [email protected] remain 1.5 cents each. The price for a Ride-Along piece increases to 16.5 cents for both In-County and Outside-County publications. The fees associated with Periodicals also increase. Automation flats must bear a delivery point POSTNET barcode or IMb encoded with the correct delivery point routing code. Currently, Periodicals are required to receive address correction notifications at a cost of 25 cents for electronic and 50 cents for manual notifications. Electronic notifications will increase to 26 cents each. By adopting the full-service option of Intelligent Mail, publications qualify for no-fee Address Change Service (ACS). Effective Nov. 29, an IMb price incentive of 0.1 cents will be available for automation and carrier route letters and flats when prepared and mailed at the full-service option. Periodicals prices can be found on page 24 of the Price List. Standard Mail The increase for Standard Mail is 3.8 percent on average. There are no structural changes to the prices for letters and flats. As with First-Class Mail, we align the standards for machinable and automation letters so that machinable letters have the same physical characteristics as automation letters, with the exception of a qualifying barcode. All sortation levels for automation letters are optional with customers paying for the level of sortation they choose. Required sortation for automation letters would begin at the mixed AADC level. Five-digit/scheme, 3-digit/ scheme and AADC sortation levels will be optional, except when claiming the corresponding prices. For machinable letters, we also make the AADC sortation level optional, except when claiming the AADC price. Nonmachinable letters weighing more than 3.3 ounces will now pay the corresponding nonautomation flats prices. Automation flats must bear a delivery point POSTNET barcode or IMb encoded with the correct delivery point routing code. There are no changes to the preparation of Standard Mail automation flats. An IMb incentive of 0.1 cent will be available Nov.В 29 for automation letters and flats, as well as basic and high-density carrier route flats prepared and mailed at the full-service option. Irregular Parcels and Not Flat-Machinable Pieces We are revising the price categories and qualifications for all irregular parcels and Not Flat-Machinable (NFM) pieces weighing less than 6В ounces. These changes will reduce the number of containers in a mailing, better align the price categories with efficient processing for parcel-shaped FYI For a вЂњsnapshotвЂќ of First-Class Mail prices and shapes вЂ” see page 6. pieces, and provide increased opportunities for mailers, including destination delivery unit (DDU) prices and additional mail volumes that qualify for destination sectional center facility (DSCF) and destination bulk mail center (DBMC) prices. The surcharge for nonbarcoded parcels and NFMs not prepared in 5-digit/scheme sacks or pallets increases to 7В cents. Since automated package processing systems located in our plants run multi 3-digit SCF schemes, new SCF sortation and prices replace (single) 3-digit sortation and prices. In addition, BMC and mixed BMC sortation and prices replace ADC and mixed ADC sortation and prices. For mailings prepared in sacks, SCF prices are based on 10 or more pounds of mail for the multi 3-digit SCFs in DMM L005. BMC prices are based on 10 or more pounds of mail for the BMCs in DMM L601, and when claiming DBMC prices, the auxiliary service facilities (ASFs) in DMM L602. For mailings prepared on pallets (and in pallet boxes), prices are based on 250 or more pounds of mail on pallets prepared for DBMC, DSCF and DDU prices, and 200 or more pounds of mail on BMC pallets prepared for entry at the origin postal facility. Saturation Incentives: To encourage volume growth and continued use of saturation Standard Mail letters and flats, the Postal Service implements an incentive program for saturation mailers who increase their saturation letters or flats volume. This increase can result from growth in total mailed volume or a growth within a defined market. Mailers wishing to participate must submit a letter requesting participation to their district manager, business mail entry no later than June 11, 2009. For additional information, see the Feb.В 23 Federal Register, or contact your district business mail entry office. MAR/APR 2009 3 FYI New postage statements can be found at usps.com/prices/ pricechanges.htm. Mixed BMC prices have no minimums and will require two separations вЂ” mailers вЂњdivideвЂќ remaining parcels into an appropriate origin BMC sack(s) or pallet based on the BMC serving the entry postal facility using DMM L601, followed by traditional mixed BMC sacks or pallets. In certain situations based on volumes and densities, there may not be parcels remaining following preparation of origin BMC sacks or pallets. In addition, all mailings prepared for 5-digit, SCF and BMC prices will be limited to mailings also prepared for and claimed at DBMC, DSCF, and DDU prices. Parcels and NFMs prepared in BMC and ASF sacks or pallets for the DBMC price will continue to use DMM Exhibit 446.3.1, BMC/ASF вЂ” DBMC Price Eligibility. Except for mailings of 200 or more pounds prepared on appropriate BMC pallets, all other mailings prepared for entry at the origin postal facility will be eligible for the mixed BMC price only. Machinable Parcels and NFMs We are not changing the price categories for machinable parcels and NFM pieces weighing 6 ounces or more. However, as with irregular parcels and NFMs weighing less than 6 ounces, 5-digit and BMC prices will be limited to mailings also prepared and claimed at DBMC, DSCF and DDU prices. Except for mailings of 200 or more pounds prepared on appropriate BMC pallets, all other mailings prepared for entry at the origin postal facility will be eligible for the mixed BMC price only. Also as with other parcel mailings, mixed BMC prices will require two separations вЂ” origin BMC sack(s) or pallet based on the BMC serving the entry postal facility using DMM L601, followed by traditional mixed BMC sacks or pallets. The surcharge for nonbarcoded parcels and NFMs not prepared in 5-digit/scheme sacks or pallets increases to 7 cents. Additional Items Within Standard Mail, eligible nonprofit organizations continue to pay prices that are 40В percent lower on average than the prices for regular Standard Mail. Beginning Jan. 4, 2010, the Move Update noncompliance charge will be 7В cents per piece for Standard Mail mailings that do not comply with the 4 MAR/APR 2009 Move Update standards implemented Nov.В 23,В 2008. Standard Mail prices begin on page 11 of the PriceВ List. Package Services Mail and Parcel Select Package Services mail consists of retail Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail and Media Mail. The increase for Package Services products average 3.8В percent. There are three categories within Parcel Select not included in the Jan. 18 price changes: BMC and OBMC Presort and Barcoded Nonpresort. Overall, Parcel Select prices increase by an additional 0.5 of 1В percent. We are simplifying the pricing structure for retail Parcel Post, Parcel Select BMC and OBMC Presort, and Parcel Select Barcoded Nonpresort. We are replacing the separate price categories for Inter-BMC/ ASF and Intra-BMC/ASF with a single Parcel Post category based on weight and zone. We also eliminate the Parcel Post nonmachinable surcharges. This aligns Parcel Post prices and zones with other classes of mail. Retail Parcel Post prices can be found on page 4 of the Price List, and Parcel Select prices begin on pageВ 16. For Bound Printed Matter flats, an IMb incentive of 0.1 cent will be available Nov. 29 for presorted and carrier route flats prepared and mailed at the fullservice option. Prices for Library Mail and Media Mail can be found on page 20 of the Price List, and Bound Printed Matter prices begin on page 21. Extra Services and Other Fees Extra Services include Post Office Boxes and Caller Service fees, Certified Mail, return receipts, Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation services, Registered Mail and insurance. It also includes ancillary services such as address correction notification fees. Certified Mail increases 10В cents, as well as the prices for return receipt service requested at the time of mailing. There are modest increases to the Delivery Confirmation service fees, and we continue to offer the no-fee electronic option included in the price for certain Priority Mail and Parcel Select Destination Entry packages. A significant portion of ACS will be incorporated into the full-service option of Intelligent Mail. Customers are reminded that beginning May 18, the Intelligent Mail full-service option available to automation letters and flats, carrier route letters and certain carrier route flats will provide no-fee address correction service as well as вЂњstart-the-clockвЂќ information. For pieces not eligible under the Intelligent Mail full-service option, the first two notices for OneCode ACS for First-Class Mail letters will be 2 cents each, and additional notices will be 8 cents each. The first two notices for Standard Mail letters will be 5 cents each, and additional notices will be 20 cents each. Electronic address correction notifications increase to 10 cents for First-Class Mail and 26 cents for all other mail. The price for manual address correction notifications remains 50 cents. The Confirm pricing structure will change with the addition of a new lower-priced Bronze subscription level, to complement the current Silver, Gold and Platinum subscription levels. There are minimal increases to Post Office Box and Caller Service fees, and all Post Office boxes and Caller Services will maintain their current fee groups. New fees apply only to new rentals and renewals. Current Post Office Box holders, and customers paying Caller Service fees, are not required to pay the new fees until their current rental period expires and it is time to renew. Post Office Box and Caller Service fees may be paid for no more than two semiannual periods at a time. All annual mailing and permit fees increase to $185, and all annual account maintenance fees will be $585. The quarterly fee for high-volume Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) letters increases to $1,925. There will be modest increases to all BRM per-piece fees, including new fractional per-piece fees for high-volume BRM вЂ“ $0.083 basic, QBRM вЂ“ $0.052, as well as highvolume QBRM вЂ“ $0.007. See page 37 of the Price List. Remember, new annual fees apply only to first-time payments and renewals. Customers with current annual fees paid will pay the new fees at renewal. Annual fees may be renewed only for the next 12 months and only during the last 60 days of the current service period. Premium Forwarding Service (PFS) prices will increase вЂ” the enrollment fee increases to $15 and the weekly reshipment charge goes to $13.95. The new weekly reship charges apply only to first-time users and renewals after MayВ 11. A complete list of Extra Services prices and other fees can be found starting on pageВ 35 of the Price List. Additional International Changes In addition to First-Class Mail International (see page 2), prices for International Priority Airmail service (IPA), International Surface Air Lift Service (ISAL) and Extra Services also will change MayВ 11. We have expanded the number of country price groups for IPA and ISAL from nine to 15 вЂ“ including 10 вЂњcountry-specificвЂќ groups and five multiplecountry price groups. IPA meets the needs of international business mailers for a service that is faster and more economical than First-Class Mail International. Prices for IPA increase by 6.3В percent on average. Incentives based on volume offered through customized agreements continue to be available for IPA customers. ISAL provides expedited dispatch and transportation for all types of First-Class Mail International items. ISAL prices increase by 3.5 percent on average. Volume incentives are available through customized agreements. Prices for IPA can be found on page 29 of the Price List, and ISAL prices can be found on page 30. International Extra Services fees maintain their correlation to the fees for services that are similar to domestic Extra Services. See page 39 of the Price List. FYI The IMM can be viewed at pe.usps.com. MAR/APR 2009 5 Domestic Quick Reference First-Class Mail DomesticвЂ”Retail SHAPE SIZE PRICE Postcards 4-1/4" max. 3-1/2" min. length height thickness Height Length 5" min. maximum 6 inches 4-1/4 inches 0.016 inch minimum maximum 5 inches 3-1/2 inches 0.007 inch 11-1/2 inches 6-1/8 inches 1/4 inch 6-1/8" max. length height thickness 3-1/2" min. Heigth 11-1/2" max 12" max. length height thickness 6-1/8" min. minimum* maximum 11-1/2 inches 6-1/8 inches 1/4 inch 15 inches 12 inches 3/4 inch * Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions. Pieces that are rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly thick pay package prices. Height 11-1/2" min 15" max. Packages length + girth length + girth combined cannot exceed 108 inches (Parcel Post cannot exceed 130 inches) length the longest side of the package girth measurement around the thickest part (perpendicular to the length) Postal Explorer pe.usps.com Your source for up-to-date business mailing information. 6 MAR/APR 2009 Weight Not Over (oz.) 1 2 3 3.5 Price $0.44 0.61 0.78 0.95 Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics in DMM 101.1.2 are also subject to the $0.20 nonmachinable surcharge. Large Envelopes (Flats) Length Price $0.28 6" max. Letters Length 5" min. minimum 5 inches 3-1/2 inches 0.007 inch Weight Not Over (oz.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Weight Not Over (oz.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Price $0.88 1.05 1.22 1.39 1.56 1.73 1.90 2.07 2.24 2.41 2.58 2.75 2.92 Price $1.22 1.39 1.56 1.73 1.90 2.07 2.24 2.41 2.58 2.75 2.92 3.09 3.26 International Quick Reference First-Class Mail InternationalвЂ”Retail SHAPE PRICE SIZE Postcards minimum length 5-1/2 inches height 3-1/2 inches thickness 0.007 inch 4-1/4" max. 3-1/2" min. maximum 6 inches 4-1/4 inches 0.016 inch Prices Canada Mexico All other countries $0.75 0.79 0.98 Height Length 5-1/2" min. 6" max. Letters 6-1/8" max. minimum maximum length 5-1/2 inches 11-1/2 inches height 3-1/2 inches 6-1/8 inches thickness 0.007 inch 1/4 inch 3-1/2" min. Heigth Length 5-1/2" min. 11-1/2" max Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics in IMM 243.23 are also subject to the $0.20 nonmachinable surcharge. Large Envelopes (Flats) 12" max. length minimum* maximum 11-1/2 inches 15 inches height 6-1/8 inches 12 inches thickness 1/4 inch 3/4 inch 6-1/8" min. * Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions. Pieces that are rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly thick pay package prices. Height Length 11-1/2" min 15" max. Packages Height Thickness Length Size Maximum length = 24 inches Maximum length + height + thickness combined = 36 inches. Weight Not Price Groups Over 1 2 3-5 6-9 (oz.) 1 $0.75 $0.79 $0.98 $0.98 2 3 3.5 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.34 1.89 2.44 1.82 2.66 3.50 1.76 2.54 3.32 Weight Not Price Groups Over 1 2 3-5 6-9 (oz.) 1 $1.03 $1.03 $1.24 $1.24 2 1.29 1.59 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 16 1.55 1.81 2.07 2.33 2.59 2.85 3.83 4.81 2.15 2.92 2.82 2.71 3.76 3.61 3.27 4.60 4.40 3.83 5.44 5.19 4.39 6.28 5.98 4.95 7.12 6.77 6.50 8.84 8.44 8.05 10.56 10.11 Weight Not Over (oz.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 16 2.08 2.03 Price Groups 1 2 3-5 6-9 $1.23 $1.23 $1.44 $1.44 1.49 1.79 2.28 2.23 1.75 2.35 3.12 3.02 2.01 2.91 3.96 3.81 2.27 3.47 4.80 4.60 2.53 4.03 5.64 5.39 2.79 4.59 6.48 6.18 3.05 5.15 7.32 6.97 4.03 6.70 9.04 8.64 5.01 8.25 10.76 10.31 Price Group 1: Canada Price Group 2: Mexico Price Groups 3-5: China, Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, Western Europe Price Groups 6-9: Africa, Asia (see exceptions in Price Groups 3-5), Central America, Middle East, South America MAR/APR 2009 7 Frequently Asked Questions FYI Do you receive DMM Advisory, an e-newsletter for customers? If not, send an e-mail to dmmadvisory@ usps.com and indicate вЂњsubscribeвЂќ in the subject line. General When will the new prices take effect? The new prices take effect Monday, May 11, 2009. Where can I find a complete list of all new prices and fees? The complete list of prices and fees is contained in the new Price List at usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm. Click вЂњSee Complete Price ListВ (PDF).вЂќ What prices are changing? n First-Class Mail n First-Class Mail International n Periodicals n Standard Mail n Package Services Mail - Bound Printed Matter - Library Mail - Media Mail - Parcel Post n Extra Services and fees n Parcel Select - BMC and OBMC Presort - Barcoded Nonpresort n International Priority Airmail (IPA) n International Surface Air Lift (ISAL) When were the new prices announced? We announced these prices on Feb.10.В В Are my Forever Stamps valid for the new First-Class Mail letter price? Yes. The postage value of the Forever Stamp is always the First-Class Mail single-piece 1-ounce letter price in effect on the day of use. Forever Stamps purchased through May 10 will be good for 44 cents postage starting May 11. One-ounce letters with Forever Stamps will not require additional postage. As always, customers will need additional postage for letters weighing more than 1В ounce, letters subject to the nonmachinable surcharge and mailpieces that are larger than letter size. How much is the Forever Stamp? Effective May 11, the Forever Stamp will sell for 44В cents and will be available in booklets of 20 for $8.80. Sheets of 18 stamps will continue to be available from our Automated Postal Centers and at select ATMs for $7.92. Are Forever Stamps available in coils or other formats? No, but we will have other 44-cent stamps available in coils and panes. I have several types of stamps with no denomination. How can I determine the value of these stamps? See Quick Service Guide 604a on Postal Explorer at pe.usps.com. It lists nondenominated stamps, 8 MAR/APR 2009 stamped cards and stamped envelopes, and their postage values. Will the price of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp change? No, the price remains 55 cents. The postage value of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp is the domestic First-Class Mail single-piece 1-ounce letter price that is in effect on the day of use. Can I apply my 42-cent stamps toward the purchase of 44-cent and other stamps? Stamps cannot be exchanged unless mistakes were made when originally purchased, or your stamps were defective when purchased. Post Offices have ample supplies of 1- and 2-cent stamps. Remember, the postage value of Forever Stamps is the domestic First-Class Mail 1-ounce letter price that is in effect on the day of use, so no additional stamps are needed.В I see there will be a 64-cent stamp. Is this a new price category? It is not a new price category. The 64-cent stamp offers the convenience of paying postage for 1-ounce nonmachinable letters, such as square greeting cards and invitations, with a single stamp. The stamp will be available June 15. USPS raised mailing services prices last May. Why are prices going up again? We adjust prices for mailing services each May to provide smaller, more predictable price changes. First-Class Mail Will there be an increase to the price for additional ounces? The price for additional ounces for retail (singlepiece) First-Class Mail letters, large envelopes and packages remains 17 cents for each additional ounce. Will the price for additional ounces for presorted First-Class Mail letters increase? The price for each additional ounce for automation and presorted letters remains 12.5 cents. The maximum weight is 3.5 ounces. В Is the nonmachinable surcharge increasing? The nonmachinable surcharge for First-Class Mail letters remains 20 cents. Keep in mind, the nonmachinable surcharge applies to letters only. It does not apply to large envelopes and packages, which have separate prices. Will the price for postcards increase? Yes, the new price is 28 cents for eligible postcards. Stamped cards increase to 31 cents each. What type of barcode is required for the parcel rate? On First-Class Mail parcels, mailers may use a 5-digit GS1-128 barcode or a POSTNET barcode. The surcharge for nonbarcoded parcels remains 5 cents. Will the Delivery Confirmation fee increase for First-Class Mail parcels? Yes, the new fees are: Electronic вЂ“ 19 cents Retail вЂ“ 80 cents Will OneCode ACS service for First-Class Mail letters still be available at no charge? No, the first two notices will be 2 cents each, and additional notices will be 8 cents each. No-charge ACS service will be available in conjunction with the full-service Intelligent Mail option beginning May 18. First-Class Mail International Will the prices change for First-Class Mail International postcards and letters? Yes, and Canada and Mexico will have separate prices. The new prices for postcards and 1-ounce letters are: Canada вЂ“ 75 centsВ В Mexico вЂ“ 79 cents All other countries вЂ“ 98 cents Is there a change to the nonmachinable surcharge for First-Class Mail International letters? No, as with First-Class Mail letters, the nonmachinable surcharge remains 20 cents, regardless of weight. Are there changes to the prices for flats and parcels, as well? Yes, for a complete listing of all the new FirstClass Mail International prices, go to usps.com/prices/ pricechanges.htm. Periodicals Will publications authorized as classroom and nonprofit, and those publications meeting the limited circulation criteria, still be eligible for a 5 percent discount? Yes. The 5 percent discount applies to the total Outside-County postage, excluding postage for advertising pounds, ride-along pieces and RPNs. Are In-County Periodicals subject to bundle and container prices? No. Bundle and containers prices apply to OutsideCounty copies only. FYI Is the Ride-Along option still available? Yes. The Periodicals Ride-Along price will be $0.165В each. Standard Mail Will there be any restructuring to Standard Mail prices? Yes, for Standard Mail parcels. New SCF sortation and prices replace (single) 3-digit sortation and prices, and BMC and mixed BMC sortation and prices replace ADC and mixed ADC sortation and prices. Also, mailings for 5-digit, SCF and BMC prices will be limited to mailings prepared for and claimed at DBMC, DSCF and DDU prices. Mailings prepared in sacks for entry at the origin postal facility would be eligible only for mixed BMC prices. Separate price categories for irregular parcels, machinable parcels, and Not FlatMachinable (NFM) pieces will continue. New address placement standards apply to all Periodicals, Standard Mail, Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail and Media Mail flats prepared and mailed at automation, presorted and carrier route prices. See ribbs.usps.gov. Will the barcode requirements for parcels and NFMs remain the same? Yes. On irregular parcels (regardless of weight) and NFM pieces weighing less than 6 ounces, mailers may use either a 5-digit GS1-128 barcode or a POSTNET barcode. On machinable parcels and NFM pieces weighing 6 ounces or more mailers must use a 5-digit GS1-128 barcode. Will the nonbarcoded surcharge for parcels and NFM pieces increase? Yes, it will increase to 7 cents. Are there changes to Standard Mail Nonprofit mailings? Nonprofit preparation mirrors that of regular Standard Mail and customers continue to pay prices that are 40 percent lower on average than regular Standard Mail. Will the fees associated with Periodicals change? Yes. Beginning May 11, Periodicals fees are: original entry $540, re-entry $65, additional entry $85, news agent registry $55. Where can I find a listing of all the new Periodicals prices? All new prices are available online at usps.com/ prices/pricechanges.htm. MAR/APR 2009 9 Will permit fees increase? All annual mailing fees and the permit imprint application fee will increase to $185, and all annual accounting fees вЂ” account maintenance fees вЂ” will be $585. The new fees apply only to first-time payments and renewals. Customers with current fees paid will pay the new fees when they renew. FYI National PCC Day Sept. 16. National PCC Day is always the third Wednesday in September. I see the pickup-on-demand service will increase to $15.30. What about Carrier Pickup? Carrier Pickup is still available at no charge. Do the fees for Delivery Confirmation service increase? All Delivery Confirmation service fees will increase, except the вЂњno feeвЂќ electronic option for Priority Mail and Parcel Select Destination Entry parcels. Will Post Office Box fees change? Most Post Office Box fees will increase modestly, but there are no changes to the fee groups. The new fees will apply only to new rentals and renewals. Current Post Office Box customers will pay the new fees when they renew. I understand that mailings that do not comply with Move Update requirements will be assessed a non-compliance charge? Yes beginning Jan. 4, 2010, the new Move Update noncompliance charge will be 7 cents per piece for mailings that do not comply with the Move Update standards implemented Nov. 23, 2008. Will prices for OneCode ACS service for Standard Mail letters increase? Yes, the first two notices will be 5 cents each, and additional notices will be 20 cents each. No-charge ACS service will be available in conjunction with the full-service Intelligent Mail option beginning May 18. Package Services Will there be any classification changes to Packages Services mail? Yes, we are simplifying the pricing structure for Parcel Post. There is one price table, with no distinction between Inter-BMC/ASF and Intra-BMC/ ASF. We will eliminate the Parcel Post nonmachinable surcharges and the local zone will no longer have a separate price. This aligns the Parcel Post prices and zones with other classes of mail. There are no significant changes to any other of the Package Services mail categories. Extra Services and Other Fees How is Business Reply Mail changing? In addition to the postage increases, there are increases to per-piece charges, annual permit fees and accounting fees. 10 MAR/APR 2009 Will Caller Service fees change? Yes, as with Post Office Box fees, new fees will apply only to first-time users and renewals. В Are Premium Forwarding Service (PFS) prices changing? Yes. The enrollment fee increases to $15, and the weekly reshipment charge goes to $13.95. The new weekly reship charges apply only to enrollments and weekly fees paid on or after May 11. International Mail Can I use the Forever Stamp for international mail? Yes, but keep in mind that the postage value of the Forever Stamp is the domestic First-Class Mail 1-ounce letter price in effect on the day of use. Until May 11 it is 42 cents, and beginning May 11 it is 44 cents. Since international prices are higher than domestic prices, you will need additional postage. Other than the prices, are there any other changes to IPA and ISAL? We expanded the number of price groups for IPA and ISAL from nine to 15. Are International Reply Coupons still available? Yes and the selling price remains $2.10 each. International Reply Coupons are exchangeable in any other Universal Postal Union member country for stamps equal to the minimum postage for an air letter. Are there any significant changes to international mail Extra Services? The Extra Services options will not change. OneCode ACS Sampling Process вЂ“ Simplified! T he National Customer Support Center has relaxed the requirement to submit 50 sample mailpieces prior to applying for OneCode ACS participation. The mailpiece design analyst (MDA) can now perform new voluntary sampling procedures locally. Address Change Service (ACS) is a post-mailing service that allows mailers to receive electronic notifications for change-of-address (COA) and other reasons for non-delivery, and substantially reduce the number of manual вЂ” hardcopy вЂ” notifications. вЂњMany of our customers have been printing Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMbs) on their mailpieces, demonstrating their ability to print readable barcodes, so a voluntary process makes sense for any subsequent applications,вЂќ says Kai Fisher, ACS program manager at the National Customer Support Center in Memphis, TN. вЂњThe new procedures also streamline the sampling process for those customers just beginning to print the new barcodes by ensuring they are in contact with the best resource for mailpiece design and barcode readability вЂ” their local MDA.вЂќ Though no longer required for activation, OneCode ACS customers are strongly encouraged to create a minimum of 20 sample mailpieces and submit them to their local MDA for testing. Since the purpose of testing is to allow the mailer an opportunity to correct any deficiencies that would affect the quality of their results once the pieces are mailed, the opportunity remains for the mailer to provide correctly produced samples for review. The mailer also continues to be responsible for the design and content of barcodes and other design components. вЂњUnreadable barcodes produce unintended results. If our equipment cannot read them, electronic notifications cannot be provided. The mailer could end up getting either no address correction notification, or a more costly manual notice,вЂќ Fisher adds. Samples must be вЂњproduction readyвЂќ mailpieces since the testing is performed using the MERLIN (Mailing Evaluation Readability Lookup INstrument). The barcode on the mailpieces must include the appropriate service type identifier, mailer ID, and serial number (unique mailpiece identifier). Also, be sure to include a valid domestic return address on the address side of the mailpiece and as well as an appropriate ancillary service endorsement, when required. For more information on OneCode ACS, see Publication 8B, OneCode ACS Technical Guide, available at ribbs. usps.gov. To find your local MDA, go to pe.usps.com, and click вЂњPostal Links.вЂќ FYI The 2009 National Postal Forum is May 17-20 in Washington, DC. Volume 3 Number 2 Editorial Thomas DeVaughan Ilze Sella Design Andrea Rogoff John Potter Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Steve Kearney Senior Vice President, Customer Relations Maura Robinson Vice President, Pricing Mitzi Betman Vice President, Corporate Communications MailPro is published by U.S. Postal Service Customer Relations. USPS eagle symbol and logotype are registered marks of the United States Postal Service. В© 2009 United States Postal Service. 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